Channel NewsAsia: Workers' Party unfazed by James Gomez incident

SINGAPORE VOTES 2006

By Augustine Anthuvan



SINGAPORE : The Secretary-General of the Workers' Party has said he does not feel anything significant or negative towards the WP over the James Gomez incident.

Mr Low Thia Khiang was asked during a WP walkabout in Nee Soon East if the incident has hurt the image of the opposition party - which has made accountability a key campaign platform.

Mr Low is a WP candidate for Hougang.

Mr Low says: "I don't feel anything significant or negative towards the Workers' Party over the incident. I think people do understand and people do.

"Singaporeans are intelligent enough, sophisticated enough to look at the thing. I mean the footage, the apologies, my explanation and decide for themselves." - CNA/de

Sunday Times: PAP's upgrading strategy divisive: WP

ELECTION '06
PARTY POLITICAL BROADCASTS


WORKERS' PARTY CHAIRMAN SYLVIA LIM

Dear Fellow Singaporeans,

The Workers' Party has fielded 15 new candidates for this election.

Sunday Times: 'Give me chance to run town council'

ELECTION '06


NEE SOON EAST CANDIDATE Dr Poh appeals to the rally crowd to give him a chance, promising to speak up for residents if he wins.
PHOTO: EDWIN KOO

WORKERS' Party candidate in Nee Soon East Poh Lee Guan said he was ready to run a town council and urged voters to give him a chance.

Sunday Times: Low Thia Khiang: It's an innocent mistake

ELECTION '06

AT A Workers' Party rally in Nee Soon East last night, party chief Low Thia Khiang accused the People's Action Party of making a "mountain out of a molehill" over his colleague James Gomez's missing form episode.

The Sunday Times interviewed him briefly after that:

Q Why has it taken your party so long to come out and talk about this issue?

A Because to us it is not really an issue. I suppose it is something administrative, and we want to move on from there.

Q Do you think it has affected your team's chances?

A I don't think so.

Q Did you investigate what happened?

A I've spoken to Gomez, of course, to understand what it is about, how it happened and I'm satisfied. He's not actually trying to be funny or doing it on purpose.

Q Second time it has happened to James Gomez?* (In Mandarin)

A Different issue altogether.

Q This honesty issue - how will you deal with it? (In Mandarin)

A It's not an honesty issue. This is something that happened during a busy period and it was an innocent mistake. It's not an issue about honesty.

*In 2001, Mr Gomez was in the WP's Aljunied GRC team that was disqualified as it did not complete its statutory declaration forms.

Sunday Times: WP chief Sylvia Lim defends Aljunied slate

ELECTION '06

Sue-Ann Chia

WORKERS' Party (WP) chairman Sylvia Lim last night responded to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's comparisons of the five WP candidates in Aljunied GRC

Sunday Times: Govt must account to voters, says Low

ELECTION '06

WP chief says plans for HDB lifts and public transport short-sighted

Nicholas Fang


WORKERS' PARTY candidates (from left) Lian Chin Way, Mohammed Rahizan Yaacob, Sylvia Lim and Low Thia Khiang facing voters at the Yishun rally yesterday - issues ranging from public transport to a national unemployment insurance plan were raised.
PHOTO: EDWIN KOO

WORKERS' PARTY chief Low Thia Khiang last night questioned why so much money was now being spent to upgrade lifts in HDB flats and make public transport more disabled-friendly.

If these facilities had been better designed at the start, the funds now being spent could have been saved, he said, asking who should be held accountable for the waste.

Speaking at a rally in at an open field at Yishun Avenue 11, he emphasised the need for the Government to be accountable to voters for the things it has done over the past few years.

On the issue of lift upgrading in HDB flats and how it is good for residents, he said: "My question is, who was responsible for building flats without lifts stopping at every level in the first place?"

He also said that when the MRT system was first built, there had been calls for it to be made user-friendly for the disabled and the aged but these calls were ignored.

"Now, so much money is being spent to put in...fixtures like lifts and ramps. Who is accountable for such short-sightedness in planning?"

If voters were unhappy about such issues, voting an opposition contesting the General Election gives them another option, said Mr Low.

"At the end of the day, it's about having a choice, just as you know that competition in a market gives consumers a better choice.

"I ask you to vote for the WP. We will ask hard questions in Parliament."

A total of 11 speakers spoke at the rally, including WP chairman Sylvia Lim, Mr Gopal Krishnan, Mr Abdul Rahim, Mr Yaw Shin Leong, Mr Lian Chin Way, Dr Poh Lee Guan and Mr James Gomez.

First-time candidate Brandon Siow suggested introducing a national unemployment insurance plan.

Such a plan, which he said in the party manifesto, would provide retrenched workers with a regular payout from an insurance company while they were looking for another job.

Mr Siow, who is contesting in the East Coast GRC, said: "Today in Singapore, there is no such thing as job stability. Many of us are paid daily on contract and are lucky to be employed.

"Singaporeans are not lazy. We want to work, we want money to feed our families and pay our bills. But what happens when we can't pay our bills?

"A national unemployment insurance plan means we will still have money to pay bills and feed our families," he said.

He added that the plan could be funded from Central Provident Fund deductions or co-funded by employees and employers.

Mr Low wrapped up the 2 1/2 hour rally by saying that no government was above making mistakes and hence needed to be balanced and checked by a credible opposition.

Sunday Times: PM: Come clean; Gomez: I'm sorry

ELECTION 06

Workers' Party candidate finally admits he did not submit minority candidate form to Elections Dept

Sim Chi Yin


PHOTO: EDWIN KOO
'Please accept my sincere apologies if my actions on April 26 caused any distress or confusion to the staff of the Elections Department.'
- MR GOMEZ, at the Workers' Party rally last night (above)

MR JAMES Gomez admitted last night that he had not submitted his minority candidate form and apologised to the Elections Department for suggesting that he had done so.

He gave the statement after the People's Action Party (PAP) repeatedly asked him and his party to come clean on the matter.

At a rally in Nee Soon East, the Workers' Party candidate for Aljunied GRC read out a prepared speech, saying that he failed to hand in his form on Monday because he was distracted by his busy schedule leading up to Nomination Day.

"Please accept my sincere apologies if my actions on April 26 caused any distress or confusion to the staff of the Elections Department," he said.

His party secretary-general Low Thia Khiang had invited him on stage at the rally in Yishun Avenue 11 to "set the record straight".

Mr Low said: "I have spoken to James Gomez and found out what happened. They (the PAP) are making a mountain out of a molehill."

He added that if the PAP thought he would be intimidated by its big guns and "duck the issue", they had made the wrong judgment.

The statements from the WP last night came after PAP leaders had spent the past two days urging Mr Gomez and his party chiefs to tell the full story.

At the heart of the controversy was an assertion by Mr Gomez on Wednesday to the Elections Department that he had submitted his minority race candidate form and that he had not received any confirmation. He asked the department to check and warned of "consequences".

When told later that a security camera recording showed he had not handed in his form and had instead put it in his briefcase, he said he would get back to the department if there was further information.

Then on Nomination Day, he brushed off reporters, saying he did not discuss "election administration over the media".

The Elections Department then released the recording and a transcript of his conversation to leave no doubt about the integrity of the electoral process. But Mr Gomez maintained he had not "reviewed any of these items".

Yesterday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and the PAP team in Aljunied GRC asked Mr Gomez to take the issue seriously and urged Mr Low to view it with the "utmost seriousness".

"(The) best thing is just to come clean and tell Singaporeans what happened...was it a mistake, was it not a mistake?" said Mr Lee, speaking after a walkabout in Anchorvale Link.

"I think it's a serious matter for the Workers' Party. It's not just a Gomez matter, but a matter which the WP has to take seriously."

The PAP's first assistant secretary general Wong Kan Seng, who in his role as Deputy Prime Minister oversees the Elections Department, also stressed that the issue went beyond Mr Gomez.

"It concerns the sort of political party that the WP is, and the standards of accountability and transparency that it upholds," he said at the PAP's headquarters in Bedok yesterday afternoon.

He added that Mr Low had said, when introducing his party's candidates, that they all meet the criteria of credibility, capability and character.

But he wanted to know what WP would do now that the issue had been raised and seriou s questions were being asked.

"Singaporeans deserve answers to these important questions, from a party that aspires to become a First World opposition."

If it were a PAP candidate involved, Mr Wong said, the party would have immediately investigated, gotten to the bottom of things and directed the candidate to immediately and publicly clear the air.

And if the explanation was not satisfactory, it would withdraw the candidate and apologise immediately.

At the WP rally last night, the crowd broke in applause when Mr Low read Mr Gomez's apology in Mandarin. The WP chief said he had spoken with Mr Gomez and found out it was an oversight.

"The Workers' Party is fair. We are prepared to apologise. We are not unreasonable people."

Speaking to The Sunday Times later, Mr Low said the party did not apologise earlier because it did not think it was an issue. It was "an innocent mistake" and Mr Gomez's honesty was not in doubt, he added.

simcy@sph.com.sg

Channel NewsAsia: WP's Brandon Siow suggests co-payment, with deduction from CPF for unemployment insurance

SINGAPORE VOTES 2006



SINGAPORE : Workers' Party candidate Brandon Siow, part of the opposition party's team for East Coast Group Representation Constituency (GRC), has pushed for unemployment insurance, as mentioned in the party's manifesto.

He was speaking at the party's rally in Nee Soon East on Saturday.

He said, "This is a national unemployment insurance plan. Now what does this unemployment insurance do? What it means is that when we are retrenched, during the time it takes for us to retrain and to find another job, we will be paid a regular payout from our insurance company. This way, when we're looking for a new job, we will still have money to pay bills and feed our families.

"Now how can we pay for this insurance? There are many ways; we can deduct it from CPF, the same way we deduct our medical insurance, and why not, CPF is after all our own money. Or we could have a co-system, maybe employees pay 1 percent and employers pay one percent.

"There are many ways of looking at it. But the principle is that I would urge the government to consider seriously consider an unemployment insurance plan." - CNA/ms

Channel NewsAsia: WP team for Ang Mo Kio GRC prepared to lose to PM Lee's team

SINGAPORE VOTES 2006


Yaw Shin Leong

Worker's Party's Yaw Shin Leong, who is leading the party's fight in Ang Mo Kio GRC, has said he and his team members are prepared to lose their battle against the People's Action Party team helmed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

He was speaking at a Workers' Party Rally on Saturday night.

"In some quarters, my team is considered as the 'dare to die' team. Let me make this clear. Life is sacred, life is precious and politics is serious. More importantly, my courageous team-mates and myself are mentally prepared to lose but that does not mean we are push-overs. It's because we have confidence in you, the people of Singapore," said Yaw Shin Leong, WP candidate for Ang Mo Kio GRC.

Meanwhile, PAP's candidate for Ang Mo Kio GRC Wee Siew Kim said PAP has delivered its promises and will continue to do so for the refurbishment of Ang Mo Kio town centre, if he is elected.

"The crown jewel of our estate renewal strategy is Ang Mo Kio Town Centre - the centrepiece of our entire town refreshment program. It will incorporate an air-conditioned bus interchange that is linked underground to the MRT station. By the first quarter of 2007, you will have a brand new mall in Ang Mo Kio Town Centre. Yes, again we have delivered on our promises, and no one else, and not the Workers' Party for sure, will deliver this," said Wee Siew Kim, PAP candidate for Ang Mo Kio GRC. - CNA /ls

Channel NewsAsia: WP's Low slams PAP for comments over Gomez's minority certificate issue

SINGAPORE VOTES 2006

By Joanne Leow



The Workers' Party (WP) has criticised the People's Action Party (PAP) for raising the issue of Mr James Gomez's minority certificate application to the Elections Department.

Both WP Secretary-General Mr Low Thia Khiang and Mr Gomez responded for the first time on the issue at a rally on Saturday night.

Mr Low said: "If the PAP thinks that I will be intimidated by their big guns and will duck the issue, they have made a wrong judgement. I have spoken to James Gomez and found out what had happened."

He said the PAP was trying to use the issue to discredit the WP's candidates especially the Aljunied team.

Mr Gomez also read out a statement during the rally to set the record straight.

He said: "I have a statement to read - I refer to my claim for the submission of my application for a minority certificate at Elections Department on 26th Apr 2006. I wish to confirm I did not submit the said application on the 24th Apr 2006 due to distractions caused by the busy sechedule leading up to Nomination Day. Please accept my sincere apologies if my actions on 26th Apr 2006 caused any distress or confusion to the staff or the elections department. I thank you."

During the same rally, WP chairman Sylvia Lim rebutted the PAP's comments that the opposition does not have tried and tested candidates - including those who can take on an international role.

Ms Lim, who is part of the WP team for Aljunied GRC, says potential and sincerity matters too.

She said: "As for myself, he asked whether I can negotiate Free Trade Agreements like George Yeo. First question we should ask is how important negotiating free trade agreement is to becoming a good MP to your residents. The first argument which they always like to use is - don't vote for untested Workers' Party candidate - vote for an incumbent, experienced MP. Now ask yourself - does this mean you should never vote for new candidate? What if the new candidate is good, is full of potential and is sincere?" - CNA/ch

Channel NewsAsia: WP's Gomez admits he did not submit form to Elections Dept

SINGAPORE VOTES 2006


James Gomez (L) and Low Thia Khiang (R)

SINGAPORE : Workers' Party candidate James Gomez has admitted that he did not submit the minority certificate application form to the Elections Department as claimed earlier.

He read out a prepared statement on this during the party's rally at Nee Soon East.

"I have a statement to read. I refer to my claim for the submission of my application for a minority certificate at Elections Department on 26 April 2006. I wish to confirm I did not submit the said application on 24 April 2006 due to distractions caused by the busy schedule leading up to Nomination Day. Please accept my sincere apologies if my actions on 26 April 2006 caused any distress or confusion to the staff or the Elections Department. I thank you," said James Gomez, WP candidate for Aljunied GRC.

Mr Gomez had come under attack by PAP leaders in the past few days for his silence on the issue. They had criticised him for his lack of accountability.

Saturday night's admission came a day after the Elections Department released a transcript and footages from a security camera recording of his visit to the department.

These were filmed on the day Mr Gomez insisted he had submitted his application.

"If the PAP thinks that I will be intimidated by their big guns and will duck the issue, they have made a wrong judgement. I have spoken to James Gomez and found out what happened," said Low Thia Khiang, Secretary-General of Workers' Party.

He said the PAP was trying to use the issue to discredit the WP's candidates especially the Aljunied team.

After the rally, Mr Low was asked if he thought this issue had been settled.

"I think it has been settled. We came out clean and we made it clear. James has sincerely apologised for causing this distress to the Elections Department. I think we are fair people, we are not someone who is trying to make things difficult. It's an unfortunate misunderstanding, it’s an incident and we are open about it," said Mr Low. - CNA/ls

Weekend TODAY: Young, bilingual Lian banks on WP's coin

GE2006

TOR CHING LI
chingli@newstoday.com.sg

WORKERS' Party (WP) candidate Lian Chin Way, 36, knows the odds are stacked against him in the single member ward of Nee Soon Central.

"I know it's going to be a very steep uphill battle, but I will do my best to offer voters a choice," said Mr Lian, an election debutant, who joined the WP last September.

The business manager is now pit against election battle veteran and incumbent People's Action Party MP Ong Ah Heng after a last-minute change in plans.

Mr Lian, who had been working the ground in Aljunied GRC, said the swop was part of his party's election strategy.

He said: "I may be relatively new to the ground myself but my party is not. We have been active in Nee Soon for three years now."

He has been actively working the ground for the "past couple of weeks". Mr Lian sees his bilingualism and "humble grassroots background" as qualities that will put him in relatively good stead for the working and lower-middle class electorate at Nee Soon Central.

One of the things the University of London graduate hopes to bring about is a waiver of the Goods and Services Tax for some basic food items such as rice, milk powder, flour and oil.

Does he think his youthful image will help him? Said Mr Lian: "I hope people don't vote for me because I am younger but because of the values of the WP. We are offering Singaporeans a choice, for the long term prospects of Singapore."

---

NEE SOON CENTRAL

WHO WILL LEAD THE WAY?


TREVOR TAN
PAP's Ong Ah Heng (right), 62, and his Workers' Party opponent Lian Chin Way (left), 36.

FACTS ABOUT NEE SOON CENTRAL:

• Number of voters: 23,152, mostly working-class.

• Last election: 2001. This would be its fifth consecutive election contest.

• PAP's Ong Ah Heng took the ward back from Singapore Democratic Party's Cheo Chai Chen in the 1997 GE. In 2001, he beat SDP's Ling How Doong with 78.52 per cent of the vote.

Weekend TODAY: WP's 'suicide squad' volunteered for the job

GE2006

THE Workers' Party (WP) line-up that will vie for votes with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's team in Ang Mo Kio GRC were volunteers and were not "assigned" the battleground, party chief Low Thia Khiang said on Friday.

"I managed to convince my party to send a team to Ang Mo Kio. More importantly, we managed to get a team who are prepared to go to Ang Mo Kio," Mr Low said. "Every candidate must have the motivation and must be prepared to go. I didn't assign."

He also countered Mr Lee's comments that his team in Ang Mo Kio is a "suicide squad".

A "gan si dui" is better than a "pa si dui", he quipped in Mandarin. Translated, it means: A suicide squad is better than having a team that is afraid of dying.

To those who felt that the WP candidates for the People's Action Party stronghold have a "defeatist attitude" because they have already conceded they would lose, Mr Low said that just because they are contesting in constituencies that are ruling-party fortresses - where they have no real chance of winning - does not make them defeatist.

"We have a mission and they will execute the mission to provide a choice to voters in Ang Mo Kio and residents of the former Cheng San (where some voters have been absorbed by AMK GRC)," he said of his Ang Mo Kio team.

Mr Low, who is defending his Hougang seat this election, was speaking to reporters at a coffeeshop in Aljunied GRC - just across the road from his Hougang ward - where he and his party colleagues took a break after a 90-minute walkabout through both constituencies. - ANSLEY NG

Weekend TODAY: It's about checks & balances: WP

GE2006

LEE CHING WERN
chingwern@newstoday.com.sg


COMPARING NOTES: Workers' Party chairman Sylvia Lim and WP secretary general Low Thia Khiang confer with each other at a rally on Friday night.

THE Government is made up of humans and humans have weaknesses, which is why Singaporeans cannot issue the Government a "blank cheque", said Workers' Party (WP) secretary-general Low Thia Khiang, at his party's rally at Aljunied on Friday night.

"Let the WP have a chance to check the Government, to tell the People's Action Party (PAP) that they had better do the job properly or come election time, the people will hold them accountable," he said.

Citing the scandals that have plagued the National Kidney Foundation, China Aviation Oil and Accord Customer Care Solutions, Mr Low said that the most important governance is not internal but external.

"The Workers' Party is a responsible party. We do not oppose for the sake of it," he said. "If we disappoint you, never mind. The PAP will surely send their candidates back to contest the next election and you can give (the ward) back to them. But first, you must give us a chance to see if we can deliver or not."

Aljunied GRC team leader Sylvia Lim added that sincerity is what drove WP candidates to contest in the GE.

"Above all, nobody had to persuade us to enter politics. We did not have to attend tea parties. We are not reluctant," she said. Ms Lim also defended the WP manifesto, which asked for a non-conditional social safety net, which the PAP had termed a "time bomb".

Said Ms Lim: "The PAP minister said they would only be able to do this if they have a surplus. So why is it that in an election year, they can run a deficit to give out money?"

Mr Low also said that people do not give the WP enough credit for its ideas. He pointed out that in its 1994 Manifesto, the WP had recommended that the Ministry of Education cut class size. Former Education Minister Lee Yock Suan then dismissed the idea, he said.

The WP had also suggested that Medisave and MediShield were not the answers to healthcare and proposed an insurance scheme instead. Mr Low said that it has taken the PAP 10 years to do this.

WP's Aljunied GRC team member, Mr James Gomez, has taken up the issue of a First World opposition raised by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.

Mr Gomez maintained that the government is not of First World standard even though Mr Lee had pointed out that under the PAP, Singapore had been ranked highly by many international economic agencies.

Mr Gomez said: "Singaporeans and Singapore are First World. There is no doubt in my mind, but it does not mean that the Government and the PAP are First World. Don't claim credit. Singaporeans and Singapore are First World, and this is the message I want to leave with you today: You are First World, Singapore is First World but the PAP government is not."

Channel NewsAsia: WP candidate tells voters to vote for opposition in GRC

SINGAPORE VOTES 2006

By Joanne Leow

SINGAPORE : Workers' Party candidate for East Coast GRC Eric Tan has told voters that it is safe to vote for the opposition - even in Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs).

Mr Tan says: "If we win a GRC, you got nothing to lose. You know why? Because a GRC has at least 110,000 people, alright? Can they afford to punish 110,000 people? ... Very difficult. They will try to win you back because it is so important, and guess what? We will try to retain our seats, you will be king of the road." - CNA/de

Channel NewsAsia: WP candidate says government adopted his idea of smaller classes in schools

SINGAPORE VOTES 2006


Low Thia Khiang

SINGAPORE : Workers' Party Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang says the government has adopted his idea of having smaller classes in schools which he proposed more than 10 years ago.

He says they also made it public that the people should have 10 years of basic education.

Mr Low was speaking at a Workers' Party rally on Friday.

He says in the WP manifesto in 1994, they proposed that the class size in secondary schools should be reduced because it is important that the teachers should have sufficient time to spend with students.

"I know because I was a teacher," says Mr Low. - CNA/de

TODAY: Election snaps

GE2006

Nomination Day seen through the lens

Photos: Don Wong, Eddie Chen, Ernest Chua, Jason Ho, Koh Mui Fong, Ooi Boon Keong, Sng Li Wei, Trevor Tan, Wee Teck Hian and Wong Khing Chong


FRIENDLY FACE-OFF: Workers' Party chairman Sylvia Lim invites the PAP's George Yeo to join in a photograph with the rest of her team. The Minister for Foreign Affairs acknowledged the invitation with a polite wave. The two will helm opposing teams in Aljunied GRC.

Straits Times: Yes, you do have a choice

LOOKING GOOD: Workers' Party candidates in East Coast GRC meeting People's Action Party supporters en route to the Nomination Centre at Bedok View Secondary School yesterday. This time round, the WP has some 'fairly presentable' candidates, to quote none other than MM Lee Kuan Yew. -- TERENCE TAN

WHEN the People's Action Party (PAP) swept a massive 75.3 per cent of the votes in the last general election, political watchers got worried. They feared that the 20-year high portended, as one pundit put it, "the beginning of the end" of opposition politics in Singapore.

Only 29 opposition members contested, and only two got into Parliament, both with narrow margins. Would the two - Mr Chiam See Tong, now 71, and Mr Low Thia Khiang, now 49 - be able to bring new blood into their respective parties? The prospects then seemed dim.

Five years later, the skies have cleared. The opposition has made an amazing recovery from 2001 and is fighting for 47 of the 84 seats in Parliament, the highest number since 1988. Voters, of course, would want all 84 seats contested. Still, technically there is no guarantee, at this point in time, that the PAP will form the next government.

But where in the past the PAP might have tried to instil fear into voters by warning of a "freak" result, both sides have matured this time round. When pressed for his stand on this issue yesterday, Mr Lee Hsien Loong said only that this would help focus voters' minds on the issue at hand, namely that they would now be voting for a government and not just for an MP. "We're going after every vote," he said.

But the opposition has minced no words on the possibility of a "freak" result. "Get real," Workers' Party (WP) chairman Sylvia Lim said. Singaporeans need not fear that a vote for the opposition will lead inadvertently to the PAP Government being thrown out. The odds of that happening were laughable, although theoretically possible.

So there is a new realism in the political landscape, reflective of an electorate that is also more mature.

A SECOND LOOK

THE more than 1.2 million voters who will have a choice come Polling Day on May 6 will probably not find it easy to decide. Unlike past elections, there are no more spoiler or loony candidates or candidates from obscure parties who are easy to rule out.

This time, all seem deserving of a second look. So how they sound; how they walk; how they shake hands; what they promise - all these will come into play in decision-making.

In Ang Mo Kio GRC, will it be Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong or hot babe Glenda Han, as some people at the Young PAP website have dubbed her? In Aljunied GRC, will it be the no less attractive Sylvia Lim or the redoubtable Foreign Minister George Yeo and his team?

The PAP's slate of candidates, as always, comprises people with impressive credentials. But this time round, the WP too has some "fairly presentable" candidates, to quote none other than Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew. Of its 20 candidates, 15 are graduates and 10 professionals. The Singapore Democratic Alliance has a more motley crew of 20 but even among them are at least six professionals.

More significantly, the WP is showing a commitment to thinking long-term. Party secretary-general Low Thia Khiang, who took over from Mr J.B. Jeyaretnam in 2001, says the party has been actively renewing itself by attracting new members. "Our renewal will continue until I'm renewed," he has declared.

Indeed, the party's declared long-term aim is to build itself up so it may eventually be able to contest more than half the seats. "Giving people a choice is in itself important," says chairman Ms Lim.

Then there are the respective party promises or platforms. For the PAP, candidates ride on the party's proven track record of bringing peace, prosperity and progress. They also ride on a manifesto that promises a more inclusive society where every Singaporean matters and where there are opportunities for all, young and old.

For those with children or who are concerned about the future, the PAP offers the surest bet because of its emphasis on policies that try to ensure Singapore's long-term survival.

MM Lee once put it this way when defending the Government's high level of reserves: "What is the deepest obligation of any government? It is not to the present, and certainly not the past, but to the future."

The opposition makes no such commitment, or at least not in the same way. The closest it gets to a counter to the PAP's long-term appeal is this: You need opposition voices in Parliament to act as a check on the PAP, and this too is for the long term. For how can we be sure the PAP will not degenerate from its high standards?

This will be a powerful argument among voters. It is not surprising that few opposition candidates, apart from the SDA teams in Tampines and Pasir Ris-Punggol GRCs, have ventured beyond rhetorical arguments to offer specifics on what they will do if elected.

Does the opposition's improved slate compared to recent elections signify more votes for the opposition come May 6? Most probably. Young, and not so young, professionals desire opposition voices in Parliament. That more professionals have joined the opposition fray this time may reflect just the tip of an undercurrent that is gaining strength.

The fact that not a few opposition candidates are entrepreneurs and businessmen by profession is not accidental: These are risk-takers who have known what it is like to lose and are not afraid to do so.

That five of the 47 opposition candidates are women is also a record, although as a ratio it is lower than the PAP's 17 out of 84.

What are the opposition's chances in this election?

No opposition man has made it on his first try. Mr Low made it on his second attempt when he was 35. Mr Chiam made it on his third when he was already 49. Mr Steve Chia, best-performing among losing candidates in 2001, joined battle in 1997 at the age of 26 and will contest his third election this round.

Issue-wise, the perennial one will be the cost of living and related economic concerns, which never fail to find traction among significant numbers of people. But with the opposition offering no solutions of its own, this on its own won't be enough to land a candidate in Parliament.

In Sembawang GRC, the Singapore Democratic Party promises to rake the ruling party over the coals by making an issue of how the Government handled or mishandled the National Kidney Foundation saga. But with the culprits - T.T. Durai and his merry men and women at the old NKF - already facing both criminal charges and civil suits, the wind has been taken out of the SDP's sails. Singaporeans can be quite forgiving of past lapses in oversight once they have had their pound of flesh from the individual culprits. No one is perfect, not even ministers.

More critically, the disarray in SDP ranks means voters will look askance at whatever its candidates there promise. Can they deliver if the party may not even be around next year or so, which could happen if its members lose the defamation case brought against some of them by PM Lee and MM Lee?

A DILEMMA

TO RETURN to the national level: Singaporeans do have a choice in this election.

But not to put too fine a point to it, the choice is between two horns of a dilemma.

For there is not just one set of choices, but two. One set of choices is between less or more opposition in Parliament. The other is between electing a team or candidate who is part of a party that will lead Singapore well, and one who is yet untried.

There's a clear trade-off between these two sets of choices.

Whichever choice they make, there's one thing voters can remain sanguine about: If the opposition can make such a miraculous turnaround from the last election, it's not likely to ever die out.

leehoong@sph.com.sg

TODAY: An age-old debate

How young an MP are Singaporeans willing to accept?

TOR CHING LI
chingli@newstoday.com.sg


JUST A NUMBER?: (From left) WP's Lee Wai Leng, 26, Abdul Salim Harun, 24, and PAP's Christopher de Souza, 30.

WITH four in 10 voters here born after 1965, it is hardly surprising that the lineup of candidates for the May 6 polls is getting younger.

But with a couple of post-1980 candidates now vying for a seat in Parliament, it must be asked: Just how young do Singaporeans like their representative to be - and does age really matter anyway?

Half of the People's Action Party's (PAP) 24 first-time candidates are post-65ers, with lawyer Christopher de Souza checking in as its youngest contestant at 30.

The Workers' Party (WP) broke this record on Sunday with the introduction of a 26-year-old translation executive, Ms Lee Wai Leng. A day later, they set a new record for the youngest candidate in the upcoming election with 24-year-old sales executive Abdul Salim Harun.

In all, 11 of the 20 candidates from the WP are below the age of 41, along with 12 of the PAP's new candidates.

This trend did not surprise veteran MP Tan Soo Khoon, who entered Parliament 30 years ago at age 27.

He said: "As we enter the era of post-65ers, we can expect more and more politically-conscious young people to step forward to offer themselves as candidates in future elections."

Moreover, having young Opposition candidates is not unusual - National Solidarity Party's Steve Chia contested his first election in 1997 at age 26.

PAP candidate Mr Lim Chin Siong, a trade union leader, won a seat in the legislative assembly - the precursor to Singapore's Parliament - in 1955, aged 22.

And Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was only 32 when he won his first election and became a Minister of State in 1984.

WP chairman Sylvia Lim noted at a recent press conference that younger MPs were serving in parliaments worldwide.

Age should not be an issue, though it would be a consideration for voters, said Mr Tan. Other factors are the candidates' educational, working and grassroots experience, and what they intend to do for their constituents and for Singapore if elected.

"The candidate will be judged on his maturity and this means voters will listen to what he says during the campaign when he goes door-to-door and when he speaks at rallies," said Mr Tan.

The youthful candidates varied in their grassroots experience.

WP's Abdul Salim joined the party just over a year ago, whereas Ms Lee has four years of grassroots experience under her belt. The PAP's 31-year-old candidate, Zaqy Mohamad, has seven years of community work experience.

Said Mr de Souza: "Many other citizens say they are young at heart! So, what is age? The real question must be: Can I serve Singapore and deliver if the responsibility is thrust on me? If one answers 'yes' with eyes wide open, then that's the spirit. The next step is action - for nation and countrymen."

While third-term PAP candidate Sin Boon Ann, 48, was sceptical that someone half his age would be able to inspire confidence among older residents, he said: "There may be some that are mature beyond their years. Then it would be up to the voters to decide."

University student Angeline Yap, 21, said that age was not as important a factor as presentation. "New candidates who look presentable would inspire more confidence."

However, 56-year-old interior designer Frankie Chan said: "I will have some reservations about young candidates that also had to be persuaded to stand. They have barely started out in their careers. Can their desire to serve last as long as Mr Tan (Soo Khoon's)? My vote would go to an older candidate, who has seen more, experienced more, and very likely, has stronger convictions."

Once voted into Parliament, however, younger MPs should not find their youth a handicap. "Being young and a greenhorn, many of my seniors were very helpful and willing to give me valuable advice," said Mr Tan.

Mr Zaqy also credited his party with for helping to accelerate his learning curve.

"I am fortunate to be able to readily consult and confer with the more experienced ministers and MPs. This has certainly helped."

TODAY: WP shows off its 'global citizens'

General Election 2006


OOI BOON KEONG
MATURE WORLDVIEW SINGAPOREANS: WP candidates (from left) Glenda Han, James Gomez and Tan Wui Hua.

GLOBAL citizens with a mature worldview - that was how the Workers' Party (WP) described its final batch of candidates yesterday.

First was 29-year-old Glenda Han, the founder of Ig's Heaven, a local chain store retailing in giftware and homeware.

Ms Han, who sold her business before living in France for two years, said that her political awareness was heightened during her days in Europe. The entrepreneur then returned in 2004 to start a cocktail bar business in Robertson Quay, and joined the WP.

The National University of Singapore graduate hopes to address issues close to her generation, including the political apathy she senses in Singapore's "sheltered" environment.

Party treasurer Tan Wui Hua, 39, the chief financial officer of a publicly-listed Australian multi-national company in Singapore, wants to fight for unemployment insurance, stressing, however, that he was not advocating a welfare state.

Mr Tan, who obtained his business administration degree in Canada, also feels that his international perspective gives him the ability to think out of the box.

While the last candidate has also not fought an election, James Gomez is not a newcomer to the political scene. Mr Gomez was part of the WP team, which was disqualified from contesting in Aljunied at the last GE for filing incorrect nomination papers.

Mr Gomez said he wished to be a check on the dynamic evolvement of casinos, having observed what happened in other countries such as Sweden and the United States.

"I have seen how the installation of casinos at the national level in other countries escalated downhill into community level gambling," said Mr Gomez, who obtained his post-graduate qualifications from the University of Essex. - CHEOW XIN YI

TODAY: Workers' Party to field 20

General Election 2006

Long-term ambition is to contest more than half the seats, says chairman

DERRICK A PAULO
derrick@newstoday.com.sg

WHEN the Workers' Party files the papers to contest Ang Mo Kio GRC, it will be the first time the party is taking on the Prime Minister directly in a General Election - as reported exclusively in this newspaper yesterday.

The WP announced its final batch of candidates yesterday, bringing its total number to 20.

This makes it the party's biggest slate of candidates since the Group Representation Constituency system was enlarged from three-member teams in 1988.

But Singapore's oldest active opposition party, which has been asked by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew to raise itself to First World standards, insists that GE 2006 is only Phase One of its plan. In future elections, the WP plans to take on the ruling party in more than half the 84 seats available.

WP chairman Sylvia Lim revealed to some reporters the party's ambition after it introduced its candidates yesterday.

"The long-term aim of the WP is to build up our resources so that in time to come, we may be able to contest, by ourselves, more than half the seats. At this election, it's not possible. But we are working towards that," she said.

To her, if the government is formed only after voters leave the ballot box, it would signify "how much Singaporeans care about who governs Singapore".

She added: "For us in the opposition movement ... we are like conduits for Singaporeans. We are made up of Singaporeans, so, if people do not want to join us, this is going to be the situation. It's going to stagnate here."

For this GE, however, Ms Lim downplayed the significance to the Opposition of contesting more than half the seats, and said it was an "incidental" situation.

"You know there is no way for the Opposition to win all the seats anyway," she said.

"I'm sure the PAP will try to make people frightened and say we can't afford a freak result and all that, but get real. Singaporeans know, probably some constituencies are stronger than the others. It also depends on the resources of the challengers in that sense."

Still, at yesterday's news conference, Ms Lim and WP secretary-general Low Thia Khiang refuted comments from PAP quarters that the Opposition only appeared during the election period.

Citing a 2004 PAP internal report on the Opposition, which noted that their activities have intensified, Ms Lim said: "Their own intelligence in written form says something else."

On campaign issues, the WP is prepared only to give a preview of what to expect at its rallies.

Mr Low unveiled three broad planks - or approximately half - of the WP's election campaign. These will be accountability, hope for the future - under which would come the bread-and-butter issues - and First World government.

This third plank refers to a debate between Mr Lee and Mr Low on the Government's credentials.

Mr Lee asked Mr Low if Singapore could have risen to First World standards as measured by various international institutions such as the World Bank and Transparency International if the PAP did not have the capabilities of a First World government.

Mr Low briefly replied that "there's more (to the matter) than that". Ms Lim added that other yardsticks include indices of happiness.

The international perspective was the theme used by the WP as it introduced its final three candidates to voters, social science researcher James Gomez, 41, financial manager Tan Wui Hua, 39, and entrepreneur Glenda Han, 29.

When asked how they differ from PAP's candidates, Mr Low said: "The fundamental difference is if you want to be elected, join the PAP and go to a GRC. But if you join the WP, be prepared to lose.

"These are people who have the international perspective, who are able to travel internationally for employment. But they are prepared to join the WP, prepared to lose. This is the spirit. It's something the PAP candidates are lacking."

Straits Times: Workers' Party to campaign on First World govt

ELECTION 06

That, along with hope for the future and accountability, are its 3 key issues

BY PEH SHING HUEI

AS THE Workers' Party wrapped up its fifth and final introduction of candidates yesterday, it unveiled what it described as the three key issues the party will campaign on: accountability, hope for the future and First World government.

---

James Gomez, 41

Tan Wui-Hua, 39

Glenda Han, 30

Occupation: Owner of

New Paper: Are you nervous about facing off against PAP?

Eye on election
Question time

The New Paper's NG TZE YONG, our post-65 representative, puts 10 burning questions to three Worker's Party candidates


Mr Yaw Shin Leong, 29, business analyst


Ms Lee Wai Leng, 26, businesswoman


Mr Eric Tan, 50, general manager of a financial services company

BLUE is calm.

Blue is confidence.

And blue is the colour of the Workers' Party.

Fifteen new WP candidates were introduced over the past few days.

Decked out in sky-blue, they came across as calm, cool and confident.

Among the 15 is a lawyer, a union leader, even a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, a top US university.

Fielding questions from the media, they spoke confidently about their beliefs and plans.

Gone, it seems, is the era of opposition candidates heckling PAP politicians with loudhailers.

But aren't these WP newbies worried about facing off against the PAP? Why are they so confident?

We posed this question to three of the 15 candidates.

Mr Eric Tan, 50, the general manager of a financial services company, laughs off the question.

"You have to be confident in the first place to join the opposition," he said.

But on a more serious note, the father of three daughters added: "We are confident not because we think we will win. We are confident because we have a tremendous conviction in our beliefs."

Ms Lee Wai Leng, 26, a businesswoman who runs her own translation company, said: "We are a bunch of rationally-minded people. We are offering serious views on policies." She's married with no children.

For Mr Yaw Shin Leong, a business analyst, the confidence can be summed up with a Mandarin idiom: "You Bei Er Lai". It means "to come in prepared".

The 29-year-old co-owns an e-business consultancy and is married with no children.

He said: "We have prepared for five years and we have worked to the best of our abilities."

"We offer voters a choice and we will accept their decision," Mr Tan said. "Win or lose, our convictions won't change."

---

Q Why should I risk upgrading because of you?

Mr Yaw: If voters only want upgrading, then vote for the PAP. Don't vote for us. But if they have a sense of justice and want things to be better, then vote for the Workers' Party.

Mr Tan: You will not be risking upgrading by voting for us. If we win a GRC, the PAP will not dare to ostracise a GRC. They will want to win it back. And we will want to retain it. So you will get your upgrading.

Ms Lee: Voting is not just about upgrading. It is also about checks and balances. We should not be too materialistic. There is more to life than upgrading.

Q Talk is easy. What are you prepared to sacrifice for your beliefs?

Mr Yaw: I will give my life. I believe in national defence and I will fight for my homeland if need be.

Mr Tan: I don't call them sacrifices because I am happy to strive for my ideals.

Ms Lee: It would be my monetary sacrifice. If you compare me to my friends, I won't be embarrassed to tell you I'm the poorer one. But if I'm not going to do it, who will? If you want to be in politics for the long haul, you will have to put in the time and commitment.

Q What did your family and friends say when you told them you were joining the opposition?

Mr Yaw: They were shocked. Even my best buddies didn't expect it even though I was involved in student politics before. But I told them there there are issues that needed to be addressed. And then they supported me.

Mr Tan: Some were supportive and some were not. People have grown used to the system and they have their own loyalties. And then there's the fear among civil servants.

Ms Lee: My family reacted calmly and coolly. They are the traditional type so silence actually means consent. My friends were surprised because they thought that people our age would be more interested in our careers.

Q If you want to change policies, wouldn't it make more sense to join the PAP where the chances of you pushing through your notion is higher?

Mr Yaw: Even company audits are subject to external checks, right? The best system is really a balance between the internal and the external. It is hard to change things from the inside.

Mr Tan: I joined the opposition because of my character. The PAP's role is more administrative. It takes a top-down approach. The opposition's role is in creating value and helping the political system evolve. Ours is a partnership approach.

Ms Lee: You make a more active contribution in opposition politics. Changes that come from within the system are usually just cosmetic. Here at the Workers' Party, we do not do cosmetic changes. Even if the system needs an overhaul, we will do it.

Q What is the most outrageous thing you have ever done?

Mr Yaw: Completing 26 blocks in a walkabout in one day! It took twelve hours straight. It was crazy.

Mr Tan: While backpacking as a student, I attended this rock concert in Barcelona in front of a grand cathedral. We were young, we were drunk, the sky was blue and we were happy. We slept on park benches until the police chased us away in the morning.

Ms Lee: When I was in NUS, I once went for two days and two nights without sleep. I was rushing two essays for my Sociology class. I never knew that I had the stamina to do such things until then! But I did it by keep gulping down cups of tea.

Q If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

Mr Yaw: To be able to be at many different places at one time. There are so many things I want to get done!

Mr Tan: I want to speak many, many languages because I want to reach out to people.

Ms Lee: I want to know all the languages of the world. Languages help you cross barriers. When you learn the language of a country, you find out about their culture and understand their history.

Q If your son told you one day he was gay, what would you do?

Mr Yaw: There would definitely be silence at first. I'd need to absorb the shock. But then, I'd tell him: "Son, I know you know best."

Mr Tan: I would accept it. In any case, I shouldn't be shocked if he is my son. I am not a blind parent.

Ms Lee: I would accept it because I encourage diversity. To me, it is just another sexual orientation and it is nothing to be ashamed of.

Q Do you think the Progress Package was a form of electioneering? If so, what are you doing with your share?

Mr Yaw: Incumbent MPs will not admit it is electioneering but I do. I received $500 and I donated all of it to the Workers' Party because I believe in it.

Mr Tan: If the opposition did not exist, would we have received the Progress Package? I received about $1,000 or less. I am thinking of giving it to charity.

Ms Lee: If it is not electioneering, why would they give it out just before the elections? I received $600. I will combine it with the $900 my husband received and buy a laptop for our translation business. I did not think about rejecting the money because if the Government wants to give, why not keep it?

Q Among world leaders, who's your hero?

Mr Yaw: You don't need to look outside of Singapore. I admire J B Jeyaretnam. After so many years, he is still here. He's a stayer, not a quitter.

Mr Tan: Pope John Paul II. He lost his family when he was 18 or 19 and grew up poor. You would think that he would be angry and bitter at life and at God. But he was not. I was touched by it.

Ms Lee: I admire Aung San Suu Kyi. She stands up for what she believes in even though she knows how tough it is going to be.

TODAY: Distribute government funds fairly: Low

General Election 2006

Carrot-and-stick politics not reflective of international standards, says WP chief

TOR CHING LI
chingli@newstoday.com.sg

RETURNING the criticism levelled at Singapore's Opposition over the weekend, Workers' Party (WP) chief Low Thia Khiang charged yesterday the People's Action Party (PAP) is also not a First World government.

The ruling party, he said, ought to benchmark itself against "international matured democracies".

Mr Low, who was speaking at the party's fourth press conference to introduce its candidates for the coming elections, was responding to Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew's comment on Saturday that Singapore lacked a First World opposition.

"I believe he has forgotten the PAP is not a First World government as well," he said.

Denouncing the tactics of the People's Action Party as "carrot-and-stick", he said such "short sighted" politics are not the hallmarks of a First World government.

"What kind of nation are we becoming ... what kind of life do you want to lead? Not one where if (you) don't vote for the PAP (you) will have no upgrading, of if (you) don't vote for the PAP (you) may lose something," he said.

Any responsible government should apply the government funds equally and fairly to everyone, instead of holding the people ransom to their votes, he added.

He described the current state of politics in Singapore as "weird".

"The election is supposed to be for macro issues, where you decide the future of the nation. You are deciding the future of the nation. Instead, we are talking local politics whether you get something or not."

He added: "Politics here is no longer about your credibility as a candidate but depends on who is backing you. This value seems all wrong to me. Is this the sort of value that we want to carry on to the next generation of Singaporeans?"

He also criticised again the Group Representation Constituency (GRC) system, which WP had said in its manifesto should be abolished. "The GRC system is developed to block Singapore from becoming a First World country in terms of politics, from having First World politicians," he said.

He also challenged the PAP to engage the WP in a televised forum if they were worried certain issues may not be sufficiently debated. "The option is open to them," he said.

---

ERNEST CHUA
IN THE FRAY (From left): Mr Abdul Salim, Mr Lian Chin Way, Mr Melvin Tan and Mr Brandon Siow were the four new Workers' Party candidates rolled out yesterday for next month's general elections.

IN POLITICS FOR THE "LONG HAUL"

THOUGH his maternal grandparents hail from France and England, 30-year-old Brandon Siow sees himself as a true blue Singaporean.

A key account manager in Singapore Airlines Cargo, the National University of Singapore political science graduate has been an activist since his varsity days, when he helmed the student union.

"I knew some people from the Workers' Party (WP) from school and joined their forums and walkabouts before being inducted into the party," said Mr Siow, who lives in a maisonette in Clementi with his wife of three years.

Mr Siow decided to join the WP because he believes having a choice is important in shaping Singapore's future.

As for his youth, Mr Siow said: "Though I'm young, I don't think age will be an issue as we will be functioning as a team in a Group Representation Constituency. Also, it does not mean that our focus will solely be those of the young." He stressed that he and his younger comrades are going to be in politics for the "long-haul" - or the next five to 10 years, at least. - TOR CHING LI

---

THE WP BLOOD RUNS THROUGH

HIS is one family where the Workers' Party (WP) features prominently in their genes - three generations' worth, in fact.

Sales executive Melvin Tan, 31, first met his wife, administrative officer Ng Swee Bee, 25, when they were both involved in the party's now-defunct Youth Action Committee three years ago. His wife's parents and her late grandfather were WP supporters too, said Mr Tan, revealing the family had lived in Hougang under party secretary-general Low Thia Khiang for the past 15 years.

To which Mr Low turned and said, tongue-in-cheek, to Mr Tan: "When you have children, I expect them to support Workers' Party too!"

On a more serious note, Mr Tan, who observed after the last elections in 2001 that the system was "not conducive" for the Opposition to progress, decided to answer the WP's call for more willing parties to step forward and serve.

Now a member of its central executive committee and secretary of its youth wing, he said a wish of his is to see the party make history at the polls next month by winning a Group Representation Constituency. - LEE U-WEN

---

PLAYING A PART, NO MATTER HOW SMALL

FED UP with the social stigma attached to joining an Opposition party, business manager Lian Chin Way wants to play a part, no matter how small, in eradicating it.

The 36-year-old, however, remained realistic and said it would "take a long time" before any tangible results could be seen.

"This culture has been cultivated over a long period of time, and it's not something that can change overnight. The biggest problem faced by the Opposition is attracting enough people to come forward and serve in any capacity," he said.

Mr Lian, a father of a two-year-old son, first joined the Workers' Party seven months ago. Widely speculated to be part of the five-person team that will contest Aljunied Group Representative Constituency, Mr Lian said if he was eventually elected, he would not hesitate to quit his day job because of the "rare opportunity" to be a Member of Parliament."Chances like these won't come by so easily. Doing the best job for Singaporeans would benefit the Opposition as a whole for future elections." - LEE U-WEN

---

HE'S THE YOUNGEST CANDIDATE

HE'S the youngest candidate introduced by any political party so far, but 24-year-old Abdul Salim bin Harun does not think that his age will handicap him.

"Age is not important. The main thing is to have commitment, passion and dedication to serve people from the bottom of your heart," said the Wing Tai Holdings sales coordinator, who plans to represent the youth of Singapore.

Having been disillusioned with the way the casino issue was handled, Mr Abdul Salim said he wished Singaporeans could have voted for or against it, rather than the Government making the final decision.

"(Voting) would show that every one of us had a stake in the future of Singapore. And from the religious point of view, as a Muslim, I'm against having casinos," he said.

Having volunteered to join the Workers' Party last year to help empower citizens, Mr Salim is now a member of the party's North-East area committee as well as the youth wing. Also on his agenda is to study ways to bring down the divorce rates for those in the Malay-Muslim community, which have traditionally been on the high side. - LEE U-WEN

TODAY: WP's Ang Mo Kio flutter

PM welcomes Opposition decision to contest his ward

JOSE RAYMOND AND TEO HWEE NAK
jose@newstoday.com.sg

FIRST, Workers' Party (WP) members started showing up at Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's constituency.

Then the fact that the Opposition party has already introduced about 20 candidates - and counting - hinted that it was going to open a surprise battle-front.

Yesterday, WP chairman Sylvia Lim confirmed what some had begun to suspect: The party will contest the Ang Mo Kio Group Representation Constituency, where it will face a formidable ruling party slate led by the Prime Minister himself.

"We would like to give the residents in Ang Mo Kio a chance to vote and express their views on the Prime Minister," Ms Lim told TODAY.

Mr Lee welcomed the prospect of a contest. "I am happy that WP has at last confirmed that it will be contesting Ang Mo Kio GRC," he said in an email reply to this newspaper. "I look forward to the fight."

The Prime Minister has not had to face an electoral battle since 1988 as the Opposition has shied away from challenging for constituencies where the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) was seen as too powerful.

"I have no doubt that my team will have a strong win," he said yesterday. "Nevertheless, we will fight seriously and go for every vote."

Told of WP's decision, other members of Mr Lee's team sounded surprised but confident. "During the two past elections, we waited but no Opposition party turned up," said Mr Inderjit Singh, who became an MP in 1997, but has never faced a contest.

"We are confident of the support we will get and of the results on polling night. The verdict at Ang Mo Kio GRC will reflect the massive mandate that PM Lee will get at the polls."

Even Dr Lam Pin Min, a new PAP candidate who expects to be part of the ruling party's Ang Mo Kio slate, said he was ready for the battle. "It sounds like a war, doesn't it?" he joked. "But seriously, I am looking forward to a challenge, if there is going to be one."

Ms Lim, who said that WP would unveil its final batch of candidates today, added that her party was familiar with the Ang Mo Kio area. "Historically, part of the ward was carved out of Cheng San GRC after the 1997 elections," she said.

In 1997, the PAP team - then led by Mr Lee Yock Suan - defeated a WP slate helmed by Mr J B Jeyaretnam in Cheng San GRC. The constituency subsequently ceased to exist, with parts absorbed by Ang Mo Kio GRC.

Asked about the Cheng San connection, Mr Lee said: "The contest in Cheng San was in 1997, nine years ago. I believe that Lee Yock Suan and Heng Chiang Meng until 2001, and Balaji and Wee Siew Kim since then, have been taking good care of the residents. I am confident they will support the PAP team strongly."

Though the WP, until yesterday, had played its cards close to its chest, there was a little trailer of its plans on April 9, when WP member Yaw Shin Leong and some of his colleagues bumped into Mr Lee during a walkabout at Teck Ghee ward.

Mr Lee asked if the GRC was a target for WP, to which Mr Yaw replied it was a "massive" target. A smiling Mr Lee then said: "Good luck. I hope to see you all there."

Ms Lim would not reveal the party's slate yesterday, but said: "We have been doing the groundwork in Ang Mo Kio for some time now and we would like to give the residents in Ang Mo Kio a chance to vote."

Residents of Ang Mo Kio have not had to vote since 1988. That was also the last time that Mr Lee faced an electoral challenge - he defeated independent candidate Patrick Leong, bagging almost 80 per cent of the vote.

Political watcher and former Nominated Member of Parliament Zulkifli Baharudin saw the WP move as a signal, more than anything else. "The Workers' Party has been trying to show that it is a serious alternative and what better way to show that than by contesting the Prime Minister's own ward?" he said.

Now that a contest is finally coming his way, Mr Lee had a message for the voters. "Take your vote seriously, for your future is at stake," he said.

He also told the Opposition: "Contest cleanly, on the issues and the quality of the teams. That is the way elections should be fought."

Straits Times: PAP not a First World Govt, says WP chief

ELECTION 06
>> WORKERS' PARTY

He also attacks use of upgrading as an election carrot

BY KEN KWEK

DON'T criticise the opposition for not being of First World standard when the PAP Government is itself not a First World Government, said Workers' Party chief Low Thia Khiang yesterday.

kenkwek@sph.com.sg

---

Brandon Siow Wei Min, 30

Occupation: Sales manager, Singapore Airlines Cargo.

---

Melvin Tan, 31

Occupation: Sales executive with local IT startup Acemark Media

Family: Married to Ng Swee Bee, 25, a marketing executive. No children

Home: Five-room HDB flat in Hougang

Education: Monk's Hill Secondary. Advanced certificate in industrial relations from Ong Teng Cheong Institute of Labour Studies and diploma in computer studies from Informatics

Hobbies: Reading current affairs magazines and Chinese novels

If I were elected, the first thing I would do for residents is... "ensure town council amenities are up and running". Mr Tan said it was too early to talk about details

My biggest beef is... "Central Provident Fund and labour policy".

Mr Tan believes CPF funds should be invested in sectors with better investment returns. CPF funds are invested in Singapore government bonds and advance deposits. He declined to name which sectors would give better returns, saying he will touch on the topic in greater detail when campaigning starts.

He also declined to elaborate on how Singapore's labour policies should be changed, except to say that unions should have a greater say, such as during retrenchment exercises.

"The management should be more consultative with the unions," added Mr Tan, who was a branch secretary and branch chairman with the Singapore Manual and Mercantile Workers Union between 1999 and 2003.

"At the moment, the employees and unions are able to negotiate on the compensation package, but the reasons and number of workers involved are not negotiable."

---

Abdul Salim Harun, 24

---

Lian Chin Way, 36

Occupation: Regional business manager with TTPCOM, a British software company.

Channel NewsAsia: Workers' Party's Low says PAP 'not First World government'

SINGAPORE VOTES 2006



By Asha Popatlal

SINGAPORE : Workers' Party Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang has accused the People's Action Party of not being a First World government, and challenged the ruling party to benchmark itself politically against other mature democracies.

He was responding to Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew's charge that opposition members are not of First World standard.

Said Mr Low, "Yes, we are not First World standard. We are not shy to say that, we are realistic. We are not trying to blow a trumpet, we accept what we are today but we are progressing the younger generation, offering choice to them. But I believe that MM Lee is a fair person. I believe he must know that PAP is not a First World government as well.

He added, "All of us are aware that the PAP is benchmarking a lot of things, benchmarking ministers' salaries to market, so you always talk of international benchmarking. Perhaps it is time that the PAP should benchmark itself politically against international mature democracy standards."

Attacking the PAP's promise of upgrading in estates like Hougang and Potong Pasir if the residents vote for the ruling party, Mr Low accused the PAP of resorting to short-term carrot-and stick politics.

Mr Low said, "If I don't vote for the PAP, I will have no upgrading or if I don't vote for the PAP, I might lose something, my children may not be able to go to kindergarten -- these are very short-sighted and short-term interests. The election is supposed to be about macro issues, the future of the nation. You are deciding the future of the nation." - CNA /ct

TODAY: Hardly 'run-of-the-mill'

General Election 2006

But WP chairman Sylvia Lim is happy to be one of the masses

TOR CHING LI
chingli@newstoday.com.sg

IT'S not everyday that an Opposition politician gets mistaken for a People's Action Party MP, but that was exactly what happened to Workers' Party (WP) chairman Sylvia Lim during a recent house-to-house visit.

Sharing this anecdote at a press conference held to introduce five new WP candidates yesterday, Ms Lim said: "I was visiting one of (Minister of State for Transport and Finance) Lim Hwee Hua's residents in Serangoon and this Indian lady who spoke only Tamil thought I was Mrs Lim. She said, 'You Madam MP?'"

Fortunately, WP Indian Cultural Subcommittee chairman and election candidate Gopal Krishnan had taught her some useful Tamil phrases, such as Paataali Katchi - or Workers' Party in Tamil.

To much laughter and applause from WP supporters present, Ms Lim recounted: "I said, 'No, no, no. Paataali Katchi, Paataali Katchi'. So thanks, Gopal, for that."

Chairing her first press conference in the absence of party chief Low Thia Khiang, Ms Lim gave reporters a glimpse of her wit and mettle well ahead of the hustings as she fielded a barrage of questions for some 15 minutes after introducing the five new WP candidates, including Mr Gopal.

When asked for her response to Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew's comment on Saturday that there are "hundreds" of lecturers around, the polytechnic lecturer retorted: "I've never claimed to be extraordinary and if his comment is that I'm just a run-of-the-mill, average person, then I will gladly claim that. We want to represent the people.

"So, it's okay - I am one of thousands!"

She drew first blood with the introduction of the first candidate, Dr Poh Lee Guan, calling him "a strong believer in team building, who will get us better organised to become a first-world Opposition". She was referring to Mr Lee's observation that Singapore lacked such an opposition.

When a reporter asked 26-year-old Ms Lee Wai Leng if her youth would be a disadvantage, Ms Lim said: "It's a question of what the country wants, and who they think can represent their interest best - whether you are 26 or 82."

The Minister Mentor is Singapore's oldest parliamentarian at 82.

Echoing the WP slogan, "You have a choice", Ms Lim deferred most questions about the WP's chances at the election to just that - the people's choice. "I'll leave it to the people to judge. Give us a signal in this election that you value the steps taken by the WP, for a credible choice."

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HE'LL QUIT HIS DAY JOB TO BE A MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT


OOI BOON KEONG
COMMITTED: WP's Perry Tong.

AT 1.9m tall, Mr Perry Tong is surely one of the most imposing candidates presented by the WP for the coming election.

Should the 35-year-old University of California, Berkeley, political science graduate succeed in his election bid – most likely for a seat in East Coast GRC – he said he would give up his $100,000 a year job as a management consultant with the US-based Hackett Group. "Being an MP is a demanding position that will require a commitment of more than 10 hours a day," he said.

Mr Tong has come a long way since he was a Normal stream student at St Andrew's Secondary who scraped through his O Levels with just three passes.

He worked as a waiter and bartender to put himself through the Santa Barbara City College.

When he moved on to Berkeley, California, 12-hour daily shifts as a bartender were the norm for the eldest son of a small-time businessman and housewife. Still, he graduated with first-class honours.

He returned to Singapore in 2000, and joined the WP in 2003.

Why enter politics under the WP banner? He said he was inspired by the late President Ong Teng Cheong, who was taken to task by the Government over the issue of national reserves.

"I hope to gain more transparency and accountability for the people of Singapore."

Mr Tong also wants to show other young professionals that there is nothing to fear in joining the Opposition. He lives in a five-room HDB flat in Jurong West with his wife. – TOR CHING LI

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SHE'S THE YOUNGEST CANDIDATE


OOI BOON KEONG
AGE IS NO BARRIER: WP's Lee Wai Leng.

AT 26, WP candidate Lee Wai Leng is one cool newcomer.

While reporters grilled her, Ms Lee, the youngest candidate so far in the upcoming polls, never once paused before replying or showed uncertainty.

"I don't think age is a barrier because it's not the only determinant of how well you are able to serve your residents," said the co-owner of Lingo Whiz, a firm providing translation services.

Ms Lee, who joined the WP in 2002, has been active in grassroots activities in Hougang.

It was also in the party that she met her husband of one year, Mr Ong Wee Teck, 30, an Internet business entrepreneur. The couple have no children and live in a three-room flat in Hougang.

Ms Lee, who switched between English and Mandarin effortlessly, believes her bicultural background boosts her understanding of the ground.

She said: "I can relate to more segments of the population but ultimately, it is about working the ground, serving the residents and doing what is necessary to better their lives."

Ms Lee graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with merit from the National University of Singapore, where she was a member of the Democratic Socialist Club. - ANSLEY NG

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A 'VETERAN' POLITICIAN AT HIS SECOND GE

DESPITE having contested in only one election, businessman Mohammad Rahizan Yaacob was described by party chairman Sylvia Lim as a "veteran" politician.

Mr Rahizan, 49, entered politics in 1984, joining the Singapore Malay National Organisation, or PKMS. He was elected its secretary-general in 1998.

In 2003, he joined the WP and now helps Ms Lim in the party's Northern Area Committee.

Mr Rahizan, who studied in St Patrick's Secondary School, holds a certificate in Organisational Management & Administration from the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and has a certificate in Islamic Studies.

He hopes to help the party consolidate "Malay ground".

As for why he left PKMS to join the WP, he said: "I wanted to help mobilise Malay support for the WP, which has now become a mainstream Opposition party.

"I also believe in the party's philosophy of being compassionate to society." - ANSLEY NG

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ESTATE MANAGEMENT HIS FOCUS

THIS General Election will be Mr Gopal Krishnan's first fight in the political arena, though he joined WP in 1979.

In the early 1980s, the 52-year-old was a member of the Anson Constituency Working Committee and helped then-Anson MP and WP secretary-general J B Jeyaretnam organise grassroots activities.

Comparing politics then and now, Mr Gopal said: "Those days, (politicians) were more robust, passionate and hardcore." Asked why it took him so long to step up to contest, he said he was ready – "but there were other more important assignments for me then".

Mr Gopal, who is a senior housing maintenance inspector at the Hougang Town Council, said his work allows him to understand estate issues well. If elected, he would like to focus on a topic he knows best: Estate management.

"We would do a better job if we win another constituency because we have a lot of experience in that area." - ANSLEY NG

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A VOICE FOR HEARTLANDERS

DURING the 2001 polls, Dr Poh Lee Guan garnered 26.3 per cent of the votes in a face-off with Senior Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs Associate Professor Ho Peng Kee in Nee Soon East.

"That was my first time. I am happy with it," said Dr Poh, who is the WP's first assistant secretary-general.

On his chances this coming election, he said: "I have done my part to learn to manage a Town Council, to reach out and to understand the parliamentary process."

The 44-year-old senior management lecturer in a private college is a divorcee with a nine-year-old son. He has been getting acquainted with Town Council operations in Hougang, where party secretary-general Low Thia Khiang is MP.

If elected, he hopes to be a voice for heartlanders. "I am a typical heartlander and will do my best to serve them, manage their living environment as well as possible," said Dr Poh, who lives in a four-room flat in Nee Soon Central. - ANSLEY NG

Channel NewsAsia: Workers' Party says more time needed to build up first-class opposition

SINGAPORE VOTES 2006

By Farah Abdul Rahim


Sylvia Lim, Chairman, Workers' Party

The Workers' Party (WP) says it agrees with Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew that Singapore needs a First World opposition.

But party chairman Sylvia Lim admits the WP has a long road ahead before achieving this.

She made these remarks on Sunday as she introduced the party's third batch of election candidates - bringing the total so far to 12.

The WP says it wants to field candidates of a First World standard.

But the party admits it will take time to meet this challenge thrown down to the opposition by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.

Ms Lim said: "We have no quarrel with what Minister Mentor says - we are aware we are still in a building up process. This election, we have made some progress and we hope the people agree with us on this, but there is still a long road ahead and we will work towards that."

Working towards this goal, she added, also means that WP members must be careful about what they say and write.

Ms Lim was referring to the Singapore Democratic Party's legal troubles over the National Kidney Foundation scandal.

She said: "We have little money so we steer clear of legal battles. It could kill us - it is unfortunate what has happened to the SDP, but we will continue with what we are doing, be careful with what we say and print during the campaign period."

As part of their gearing up, Ms Lim introduced the third batch of WP candidates - a mix of veterans and new faces.

One of the new candidates introduced was 26-year-old arts graduate Lee Wai Leng, who is an editorial and translation executive.

She is a member of the party's central executive committee and also serves on the Hougang Constituency Committee.

Ms Lee is the youngest new opposition face to be introduced so far.

She said: "I don't think age is exactly a barrier. It's not the only determinant of how well you are able to serve your residents. Compared to many party veterans who have walked the ground for decades, and I have plenty to learn."

Another new face is 34-year-old Perry Tong, who is a management consultant with the Hackett Group.

The political science graduate from Berkeley is expected to be part of the five-man team to contest East Coast GRC.

Mr Tong said: "We realise there are a lot of issues on the ground that people have raised - these issues are probably not just addressed to an opposition party, but probably to any political party that cares to walk the ground."

Asked what these issues were, Mr Tong said they would be revealed during the hustings.

52-year-old Gopal Krishnan, a maintenance inspector with Hougang Town Council, is the oldest of the new faces.

He is married with four children and has a Diploma in Building Management.

A veteran trade unionist, he wants to focus on employment issues.

He said: "The minority groups are facing a lot of problems in employment, finding it hard to get jobs in many sectors. Perhaps we can address this to find out why and where."

The WP also introduced 44-year-old Dr Poh Lee Guan, who contested Nee Soon East in 2001 - and will probably stand in the same constituency this time, and 49-year-old Rahizan Yaacob, a former Singapore Democratic Alliance candidate, who is likely to stand in Aljunied GRC. - CNA/ch

Channel NewsAsia: Workers' Party refuses to confirm candidates for East Coast GRC

SINGAPORE VOTES 2006

By Farah Abdul Rahim

A Workers' Party team was spotted on a walkabout in East Coast Group Representation Constituency on Sunday.

Although the five-man team was handing out election pamphlets with their individual photographs and names, they however refused to confirm if they were the candidates contesting the area, saying this was a strategy to irk the People's Action Party.

Chia Ti Lik, Candidate, Workers' Party, said: "We cannot deny we are in competition with them and the longer we wait to confirm, to come out with a firm slate and where we are standing, it irks them more because they need to do their planning to counter our groundwork, efforts and candidates' profiles."

But Deputy Prime Minister S Jayakumar, who is leading the PAP team in East Coast GRC, said rather than irk the PAP, such a strategy simply leaves residents in the dark.

Professor S Jayakumar, Deputy Prime Minister, said: "Why should it irk us? I would think the residents will be really interested to know who your team will be. It doesn't irk the PAP because whether there's a contest, who's going to contest, who will be the faces of the team - our strategy does not change." - CNA/ch

Channel NewsAsia: 32-year-old lawyer among candidates introduced by Workers' Party

SINGAPORE VOTES 2006

By Farah Abdul Rahim



SINGAPORE : Two new faces from the post-independence generation were unveiled by the Workers' Party (WP) on Saturday for the upcoming General Election.

They are 32-year-old lawyer Chia Ti Lik and 36-year-old businessman Goh Meng Seng.

Mr Chia is a partner with Chia Ngee Thuang & Company and Vice-President of the party's Youth Wing.

He is married with no children and received his law degree from the National University of Singapore.

A former Young PAP member before joining the Workers' Party, Mr Chia has been leading walkabouts in East Coast GRC.

Mr Chia said: "Since what you are seeking to do in the Young PAP cannot be done within the framework and, in the present circumstances cannot be fulfilled by my contributions to Young PAP, then it would be better to do the right thing, and if the right thing is to join the opposition, then I join the opposition."

Mr Goh is also a Council Member with the party's Youth Wing.

He is married with one daughter, and graduated with an arts degree from the National University of Singapore.

Introduced as one of the WP's bi-cultural candidates by party leader Low Thia Khiang, Mr Goh has been working the ground in Aljunied and Ang Mo Kio Group Representation Constituencies, as well as the single-seat ward of Nee Soon Central.

But he remained tight-lipped on where he would be fielded.

Mr Goh said: "Whether you are bicultural or monocultural, you have to represent the people in certain ways - their aspirations, their views. I think culture is part of it, one small part of it...The most important thing is, you must be able to walk the ground, feel the people, what their concerns are; empathy is above cultural setting."

Mr Goh said the current generation of younger opposition leaders like himself are different from the older generation.

He said: "We are here to talk about policies, not about individual's vengeance - that's past our generation. We don't want to talk about lawsuits, talk bad about people, that's not what younger Singaporeans want to see. They want to see a healthy, active engagement of ideas and what we can offer."

Two other candidates were also introduced - party veterans 66-year-old Abdul Rahim Abdul Rahman, who has been active in East Coast GRC, and former party chairman Dr Tan Bin Seng, who is 54.

Both men have contested previous elections.

Altogether, 20 candidates will be introduced by the WP before Nomination Day.

With four candidates under 41 years old so far, the WP is in the process of passing the baton of leadership from the older to younger generation of leaders, said the party's Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang.

He said the party has been engaged in self-renewal since the 2001 General Election, and more than half its current Central Executive Committee made up of younger members.

He was speaking to the media as he introduced more candidates to contest the election.

"The renewal process is not only to attract the younger generation, it also serves as a connection between the party and the younger voters. The younger population is different in their thinking, perception and expectations. And yes, I hope the younger generation will respond to the call," said Low Thia Khiang, Secretary-General, Workers' Party. - CNA/ch/ls

Weekend TODAY: WP's simple message to Singaporeans

General Election 2006

Low Thia Khiang asks that party be given a chance; says taking polls seriously

TOR CHING LI
chingli@newstoday.com.sg



WORKERS' Party (WP) chief Low Thia Khiang has a simple message for all Singaporeans: You have a choice. Now, give us a chance.

Flanked by three first-time WP candidates being introduced for the May 6 polls, Mr Low said: "The real challenge is not standing for the election, but when you are elected. If people want to know how good we are, give us a chance.

"The People's Action Party will come and contest the next election anyway. If the opposition candidates are given a chance and not performing, then they will be out by the next election."

WP supporters at the press conference - the first of a daily series running up to Nomination Day next Thursday - applauded as Mr Low introduced party chairman Sylvia Lim, youth wing executive committee member Yaw Shin Leong and banker Eric Tan.

Mr Low stressed: "I assure all Singaporeans that we are not taking the election lightly, neither are we just fielding anyone we come across. There were people who wished to be candidates on the WP platform but unfortunately we had to reject them. We are mindful of the expectations and responsibility of the party to Singapore."

He said all 20 of WP's candidates were chosen based on three 'C's and two 'P's: Credibility of the person, capability to run a town council as an MP, balance of character, passion for politics and public spiritedness.

While the WP does not have the resources of the Government to check the skeletons in one's closet, Mr Low said all candidates have to sign a declaration form in his presence.

"Based on the due diligence that the WP has done, I believe all our candidates (can stand up to scrutiny)," Mr Low told TODAY.

In response to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's remark that the Opposition was playing a "cat and mouse game" by not confirming their full slate of candidates sooner, Mr Low said: "This is no cat and mouse game. This is the election. And candidates from WP, we are no 'mouse'. We are candidates, we are human beings."

While Mr Low deflected questions on the WP's game plan for the polls, he kicked off the briefing by explaining WP's reluctance to speak to the media. "The visual media has portrayed the Opposition in a bad light and damaged substantially the image of the WP in the last elections ... I hope there will be some progress in this election," he said.

This experience with the media was why the WP has been doing "a lot of groundwork away from the eyes of the media", he said.

He also noted how the Government curbed other medium - such as the Internet - through which the party can reach out to the electorate.

Ms Lim also stressed the need for an Opposition, saying that it would act as a check on the Government and its policies.

"Of course, PAP MPs may disagree with the PAP government policy sometimes, such as in the casino debate, but there's nothing much they can do about it."

As to how long WP candidates would persist in the calling to provide a credible alternative, Ms Lim said: "We will have to look at why we lose the election if we do, and how. If we've done our part and were not supported, we have to think seriously about whether people in Singapore care about having a credible Opposition or not."

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SYLVIA IS PUTTING HER HEART AND SOUL INTO WINNING A GRC


PHOTOS BY DON WONG
PREPARED: To face all challenges, including those laid down by the PAP.

THOUGH she was unveiled as a new candidate yesterday, Ms Sylvia Lim is perhaps one of the more familiar opposition figures in Singapore.

As chairman of the Workers' Party (WP), she has been a spokesperson and a leader for her party for some years.

And true to form, the new candidate minced no words as she described the WP's plans to send a strong signal to the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) by winning a Group Representation Constituency (GRC).

Said Ms Lim: "If we want to get rid of GRCs, the only way really is to show the PAP that it can be lost. We have to put our energies towards that, and among the party members, we know what we're trying to do, and it makes sense to all of us."

The 41-year-old law lecturer at Temasek Polytechnic, who is single, did not flinch when asked if she was afraid of the PAP uncovering skeletons in her closet.

"What they dig up, we can't evade. The PAP has my file, I was a civil servant before and they've screened my friends. But they are also not perfect, and we have information about them too. I think the voters will be able to discern what is relevant and what is not," she said.

A former senior police officer, Ms Lim graduated with a Master of Laws degree from the University of London in 1989 and was called to the Singapore Bar two years later. She has been with the WP since November 2001 and also serves as a councillor at Hougang Town Council.

When asked to give an overview of the party's slate of new candidates, Ms Lim said the party was "fortunate" with the quality it has managed to attract this time around. "The electorate has changed somewhat. People think differently from their parents, and may not be so put off by the dangers of getting in Opposition. They may want to see for themselves how they can push the boundaries, so we have people like that coming to join us," she said, adding that she was one of "two to three" female candidates the WP would be fielding.

Above all, she said that for an opposition candidate to succeed, he or she had to have "very thick skin" to face all challenges, including those laid down by the PAP.

"There will always be people who are pro-PAP (and) may not see the need for Opposition, but we have met those who are very supportive. You must be prepared to face everything," she said. - LEE U-WEN

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KEEPING HIS DAY JOB TO SERVE SINGAPOREANS BETTER


HIS GOAL: Helping the 'new poor'.

REGARDLESS of whether he makes it into Parliament or not, Mr Yaw Shin Leong will not quit his day job as a business analyst with a local IT firm.

Unlike his fellow candidates Sylvia Lim and Eric Tan, who said they would resign and become full-time MPs if they are elected, Mr Yaw adopted a different stance.

"I think it's important for an MP to understand society, and I would very much like to remain within the corporate world. In this way, I will be able to serve Singapore better," he said.

Just 30 years old, the National University of Singapore graduate is the same age as Mr Christopher de Souza, the People's Action Party's (PAP) youngest new candidate.

Speaking fluently in English and Mandarin yesterday, Mr Yaw, who is married, said he wanted to be the voice for the post-independence generation of Singaporeans.

He has been involved with the Workers' Party (WP) for over five years, and now holds three posts, including executive committee member of the party's youth wing.

Before joining the WP, he volunteered at various grassroots activities in Potong Pasir, and was also involved in civil group The Think Centre.

On his goals to serve the public, he pledged to do more for what he called the "new poor" - those who are not under the poverty line but who are not rich either.

"We first brought (this issue) up in 2001, and it was dismissed by the incumbent PAP MPs. But we are seeing for ourselves that society is now at a crossroads. The 'new poor' phenomenon is still very evident in 2006," he said. - LEE U-WEN

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BANKER INSPIRED BY DEDICATION OF VETERAN LEADERS


INSPIRED: WP veterans who give Singaporeans a choice.

A GOOD friend of Workers' Party chief Low Thia Khiang for "over 10 years", banker Eric Tan finally made the move to join the Opposition in the past two years.

In fact, the father of three teenaged girls has been on a mix of leave and no-pay leave since the electoral boundaries were revealed in March. He will be away from work until after Polling Day in May.

Mr Tan, who has a masters degree in Business Administration from the University of Michigan, said that he had been inspired to join the WP.

Said the 50-year-old: "When I look at the dedication of the veterans, who stayed against all odds to offer people a choice, their dedication impresses me. We are all driven by the conviction for a need of an opposition and for our love for our country."

Mr Tan added: "Joining the Opposition is the mother of all fears here. I hope that by joining the Opposition, we are telling people that it is okay to be different, and dispelling that fear. Fear kills creativity, which is needed to succeed in a new economy."

Mr Tan, general manager of RBC Dexia Investor Services Trust, counts among his former employers the Royal Bank of Canada, the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation and the Ministry of Defence. - TOR CHING LI